The Intelligence Background of Operation TORCH

Abstract

Operation TORCH was the first major allied operation of World War II and was the biggest amphibious operation attempted to that date and indeed up to that point in history. Its intelligence background is a story of civilian- military cooperation that was unique for its time. An American diplomat, Robert Murphy, together with twelve Reserve officers acting was State Department Vice Consuls, worked clandestinely to provide information for the invasion of North Africa and an underground network for the planners of TORCH. Their efforts were a mixture of success and disappointment, but this collaboration between civilian and soldier set the example for future policy as the United States expanded its commitments throughout the world. This study summarizes a diplomat's experience with his military counterparts in an unfamiliar world of intelligence and military planning.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
May 23, 1983
Accession Number
ADA129136

Entities

People

  • John C. Beam

Organizations

  • United States Army War College

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • C4I
  • Energy and Power Technologies
  • Human Systems

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Africa
  • Agreements
  • Amphibious Operations
  • Department Of State
  • Diplomats
  • Governments
  • Military Operations
  • Military Organizations
  • Military Planning
  • Military Science
  • Military Strategy
  • New York
  • North Africa
  • Second World War
  • Training
  • United States
  • United States Government

Readers

  • International Relations and European Studies
  • Military History of the United States in the 20th Century.